Black And Red
by Ace's Shadow Girl
Summary: One-shot series about Renji and Rukia. Updated when I'm in the mood. Can be fluffy, can be sexy, can be sad, but will always be Renkia. Newest: Rukia's discovery about Renji ... and those gigai in Ichigo's closet.
1. Tattoos

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach. Be assured that if I did, those two would have become canon long ago.

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><p><strong>Tattoos<strong>

Renji liked his tattoos. They testified his experiences, his accomplishments, and the obstacles he had cleared on the way of becoming who he was.

To put it simply, they symbolised his life. They had a meaning. They were incredibly cool. And then there was …

"Hey, Mr Funny-Eyebrows, what's the matter?"

The right corner of his mouth went up as he looked at the small woman standing in front of him, her expression as serious as most of the time he had seen her. Only the sparkling of her dark blue eyes betrayed her.

"You want a fight?" he responded, more out of duty than actual want to combat her.

"Come on! You can't wear those black stripes all over your face and not expect anybody to make fun of you!" Rukia showed a little smile as she folded her arms in front of her chest. "You're practically shouting for it."

"Says the one that could be mistaken for a midget."

Her face reddened in irritation, and he knew what would come now.

"Shut up, fool! Who did that scrawling on you, huh? Probably yourself, as crappy a job as it is!"

Yes, Renji liked his tattoos. They testified his experiences, his accomplishments, and the obstacles he had cleared on the way of becoming who he was.

But most importantly, they inspired Rukia to be the person he loved.


	2. Lieutenant

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach.

**Warning:** Contains spoilers from recent chapter! Don't like, don't read.

**Author's note: **Rukia's a lieutenant now! How cool is that! I always wondered whether she'd be one day, because hellooooo ... it was the 13th Division's second seat that was vacant the whole time, hint hint. Yet it was surprising, and I'm so happy! This is how it could've happened. Enjoy. **  
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><p><strong>Lieutenant<strong>

Her eyes as wide as saucers, she watched Captain Ukitake Jūshirō slightly bow his head with a smile, then she was dismissed.

Like in a haze she felt herself stand up from her kneeling position, the badge in her hands trembling as she returned the greeting, respectful despite her confusion, and made her way out of the 13th Division's quarters.

Outside, she closed the door behind her and then threw herself against the wall next to it.

She just could not believe it. How could she possibly believe something as incredible as that?

Less than one and a half years ago, she had not even been a seated officer in the Gotei 13. And everyone had known why. Not that she had bothered, though. She was not the kind of person to strive for obtaining as much as possible. And she was not like those people who had all kinds of goals. She had been satisfied with her position, knowing that with her brother having adopted her into the Kuchiki family, she already had more than most other people had. And she was not greedy.

And now this?

She breathed heavily as she stared at the bright blue sky above the Seireitei, too busy with her own thoughts to notice the steps coming closer.

"Rukia? Are you okay?"

She slowly turned her head towards Renji, who wore an expression that could only be described as worried. "Are you okay?" he repeated and reached out for her, but before he could touch her face, she shoved the badge in her hand towards him without saying a word.

Renji looked confused for a moment as he tried to identify what she was holding, but then a broad grin spread over his face. "Ah! That's what this is about, huh?"

Rukia only stared at him. Did he not know what this meant, she asked herself, deeply puzzled. "He … he said I'm a lieutenant now, Renji," she said tonelessly while her wide eyes never left the face of her friend. "He said … I'm a lieutenant."

"Seems like he finally got to tell poor Kiyone and Sentarō. They must be devastated now. Did you see them?"

"What?" she blurted out incredulously. "Does that mean … you _knew_ this?"

Renji grinned. "Course I did. I'm a lieutenant, you know."

"You … you …" she stammered, unable to form a complete sentence.

"Finally," he said, and his face softened as he looked at her. "Finally they got the right one." He reached out once again to caress her cheek, but he never got to do it. Before he could blink, his own cheek made the acquaintance of a fierce little hand. "OUCH!" he yelled, holding the bruise. "What the heck was that for?"

Still breathing heavily, Rukia stared at him from below, her fist raised and clenched and her face furious. "Why didn't you tell me!"

"Why! Because I wasn't allowed to, baka!"

She glared at him for a moment longer before fully getting hit by realisation.

She was a lieutenant now. A real lieutenant.

"Is this real?" she breathed, looking at the badge in her hand before looking at Renji again. "Is this really happening?"

"Course it is, baka," he answered, but there was a certain tenderness to it which softened the words. "Guess I should congratulate you now. Come here." He opened his arms with his typical grin, and took her into a hard embrace.

Rukia breathed in as she felt his strong arms around her, and leaned into his form. Her dazedness vanished until there was nothing left of it, because she knew this was real. Being here, being with him assured her that yes, this was reality. She felt him kiss her on her forehead and smiled.

"Congratulations, Lieutenant Kuchiki." He let go of her and took her hand instead. "Let's go tell everyone."

"Yes," she said quietly and smiled at the ground. "Sorry I hit you."

"No biggie," he laughed. "I'm sorry, but I have to report this to the Captain Commander, though."

"What!" she yelled and stopped while he still held her hand.

"Just kidding," Renji chuckled and then ran away from her wrath.


	3. Again

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Bleach, or Renji would get so much more airtime.

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><p><strong>Again<strong>

Rukia shivered. The night was cold and dark, and the small light of the moon seemed to waver with clouds sliding in front of it, and away again.

The only sound she could hear were the footsteps on the earthy ground, dampened by a thick layer of rotting autumn leaves. Three pairs of footsteps. One pair belonged to herself, one to Ukitake-taichou, and one to Renji. They were silently marching through the nightly forest.

A strange feeling of déjà vu crept upon her. Yet there was something off with this, but she could not figure it out.

Arrived at their destination, they stood upon a hill, looking down at the small, dark cave below. Something moved, they could hear a rustle, and then it came out. _Metastacia._

"I smell fresh meat," it sneered. And it laughed, an ugly, vicious laugh.

"Let me scout out its abilities first," Rukia heard herself say. It was like a film before her eyes, she did not want to say or do what she said and did, but she had to. No matter how much she struggled inwardly, no matter how much everything in her head screamed. _No, no, no …!_

"Ukitake-taichou. Permission to fight it alone," Renji said calmly, and Rukia stared at him wide-eyed.

_No, no, no, please, no, no …_

She could not believe her ears when she heard her captain say one small word. "Granted."

She wanted to scream, to throw herself in front of him, to hold him back. But in her helpless body, she had to watch as Renji jumped down, his zanpakutō already drawn and his face horribly determined.

He asked the monster about how many shinigami it had eaten so far – far too many to keep track of. Whether it felt bad about killing and eating shinigami.

It was a hollow, for Heaven's sake.

Renji charged.

The monster waited.

The shinigami managed to deliver a cut to one of Metastacia's tentacles, and grabbed it. He released Zabimaru – and the sword dissolved into nothing.

_No, no, oh please not … _

Renji gave a curse as he was sent flying and crashed to the ground. The hollow went after him – and attacked.

"_Renji!_" Rukia yelled desperately. And finally, her body moved. She drew her zanpakutō, ready to launch an attack and help her friend, but her captain grabbed her by the arm.

"Captain!" she gasped. "Pl-please let go of me! If we don't help Renji …"

She heard the words she had remembered for so long. "If we help him … what will happen to his pride?"

Rukia's body stopped. She wanted to fight against it, but it was futile.

"Surely, if you jump in now, you can save his life. However, at the same time, you will also murder his pride," her captain said calmly.

_But he'll die! __I know it!_

"Pride is not important in comparison with life!" she yelled. Stupefied, she had to listen to Ukitake-taichou's explanations about the two types of fights – the fight for life and the fight for pride. She saw his strained expression as he, too, watched Renji fight with the hollow with his bare hands. _Why don't you let me? Why don't you do anything? _Questions that would stay unanswered forever.

Rukia's hand sheathed her sword. She could not do anything. She could only watch … watch as her friend, her lover, was hit by the hollow's final attack.

_Why? Why is this happening? Why him? Why?_

"Ren…ji?" she asked hesitantly as she saw him standing there, devoured by the monster's tentacles.

"Yes? You called?" He turned. But it was not him anymore. His face was contorted into an evil grin, his eyes were completely black, gleaming with uncanny light. "Ojou-san."

"Ren…ji …" she stammered, terrified. _Why, why him, please, oh please not …_

"Why do you say my name so many times?" the thing that was not Renji anymore asked. "Are you that worried about my safety, ojou-san? Do you care about me that much …?"

_Yes, yes dammit, yes of course I do …_

The thing turned its face towards her completely. Rukia flinched back in utter horror before the face that had once been his, the person she loved.

"Am I that special to you, ojou-san?" the hollow asked with a malicious laugh.

Rukia watched. Her body did not move. And she didn't want to. She didn't want to do anything. It was over now, everything. With a strange inner calmness, she watched out of eyes her body had opened widely as the hollow in Renji's body jumped at her.

"Since you like me so much … then let me eat you!" it shouted.

She watched as Ukitake-taichou interfered, heard him tell her to run, shouting it. No, she would not go anywhere. She would not go away from him …

Her feet moved. She ran.

_No, no, no …_

At some point, her body stopped and turned again, to see Ukitake-taichou becoming attacked. She came closer.

"Kill it!" Ukitake-taichou shouted. "That is not Renji anymore!"

It charged at her. She saw tentacles grow out of empty eye sockets that had only minutes ago contained the most beautiful eyes she could imagine. Red, a rusty red. She could remember their expression when looking at her.

They also grew out of his mouth, a mouth that had formed the most wonderful words she had ever heard. Words like, "I love you," or "I will protect you no matter what."

Her body moved.

She knew what would happen now. With one last glance at the face that she had come to love so much, the face that was not his anymore, she raised her sword. When it pierced through his chest, she screamed.

"AAAAAAAHHHH!"

Rukia shot up from the mattress. Her sheets flew across the room. With her heart beating fast, she looked around in utter confusion. Where just seconds ago the image of Renji's face possessed by Metastacia had been, there was only darkness now. A cricket was chirping in the distance.

"Damn, what're you waking me up for?" a muffled voice resounded from next to her. A voice she knew oh so well.

She stared at the bedside next to her and could have cried with relief as she saw Renji's face, half covered by his dark messed-up strands of hair. He was rubbing his eyes sleepily.

_A nightmare!_

"Renji," she muttered and sank back onto the bed, turning her head in his direction. She smiled when she saw him grimacing.

"'Course it's me. What's the matter, crying out so loud?" He sounded less sleepy now, and she felt two strong arms wrapping around her. His scent was engulfing her, and she breathed in deeply.

"That dream again," she mumbled and huddled up against his broad chest, snuggling her face into his collarbone.

His embrace tightened around her, and she sighed. "It's okay now. It's over." His soothing voice immediately calmed her down, and she could enjoy his hands softly caressing her back. But she had to see his face, had to reassure herself that he was still himself, still the one she loved.

She struggled until they were face to face and she met his wondering gaze. She saw him smile as she bent down and pressed her lips upon his in a tender kiss.

"I wish I could protect you from those dreams," he whispered when she pulled back.

"You're doing enough," she smiled and leaned her forehead against his. "Just stay here, please."

He caressed her cheek and pecked her on the nose. "I'm not going anywhere."


	4. Gigai

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Bleach.

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><p><strong>Gigai<strong>

Rukia cursed the day she had entered that damn bathroom.

Since she had just finished business with her brother and had felt an urgent need to use the toilet, an urge that couldn't wait until she reached the 13th Division's barracks, she'd decided to use the 6th Division's bathrooms. Yes, she had been puzzled because of the weird paper signs on the doors saying 'men' and 'women', but she had opened the door to the women's bathroom anyways.

She should have noticed her mistake instantly, since women usually do not have urinals in their bathrooms. Yet, she had already taken two steps into the white-tiled room before she did, and before she could have done anything, it had already happened.

'It' taking the form of Renji, her best friend, appearing in the doorway that led to the showers. Which would not have been any problematic, mind you, if he hadn't been, at the same time, naked. Stark. Naked.

Water had been dropping from his long red strands onto the floor and his upper body, creating rivulets of water down his nicely shaped pecs and abs. He'd been holding a towel over his head, apparently just in the process of rubbing down his hair.

And did I already mention that he was very, very naked?

Rukia had just frozen on the spot, staring at him out of eyes as wide as saucers. And he had, too, hands in his hair, and _still naked_.

Her mouth had opened, but nothing had come out, and in that moment of pure, utter surprise, her brain hadn't worked properly. She knew because it had allowed her eyes to wander over his chiselled and tattooed features, down, down, down until they could finally take in that little patch of red hair and his, admittedly impressive, manhood. Under normal circumstances she'd have excused herself, turned away and let him dress or just go away. But as her brain hadn't functioned in the right way, she'd just stared open-mouthed at his nakedness.

And worse: she'd _reacted_. Her body had grown hot in places, become wet in others, and suddenly there had been images in her mind, images of them, together, of him doing certain things to her, with his ...

"R-Rukia?" he'd finally asked incredulously, and she'd been snapped out of it in the blink of an eye.

"The sign!" she'd blurted, and still hadn't the presence of mind to take her hands up to cover her eyes, or to turn away, be it for shame or just to give him as much privacy as she could in that situation.

"Umm ..." Renji had just said, still eyeing her in surprise. And not making any move to cover his nakedness in the least.

"I ... I ...!" she'd stammered, and had finally managed to whirl around and run. Out of that damn bathroom, out of the building and far, far away.

Since then, she'd avoided him. Oh, the embarrassment! The ground would open and swallow her if she ever met him again. Luckily for her, he hadn't come to see her, either. Maybe it was just as embarrassing for him? But then, why the heck hadn't he reacted then, just stood there and let her ogle him? She didn't get it, but fact was that since that incident, she'd had dreams of it every night. In some of them she'd approach him and ask him to feel his body – her face grew hot just thinking about it! In others, he'd corner her and kiss her and press his body against hers, all that sculpted muscle and hard flesh – she had half the mind to hit the wall with her head every time she remembered it. But there they were, the pictures in her head, pictures of her and her goddamn best friend, and they wouldn't go away. She'd even gone so far as to buy a women's porn mag to cover up those pictures with those of other, more harmless men – but it hadn't worked. Full of shame and guilt, she'd stared at the pictures of naked men's bodies, imagining how this guy's abs looked nothing like Renji's, or how that one's crotch would look with tattoos. Heck, she hadn't even known the moron's damn tats went so far down!

Well, now she knew, and they haunted her dreams. Lately she'd even started daydreaming about it!

She'd practically begged Ukitake-taichō for a temporary transfer into the World of the Living, saying she wanted to spend some time with Ichigo. But the truth was she was running away, and she was ashamed to no end.

Now she was sitting in her 'room' in Ichigo's cupboard, feeling restless and bored out of her wits. The orange-haired idiot was in school and she hadn't felt like going with him, so it was her own damn fault. And as usual, pictures of Renji floated through her mind, and made her all hot and bothered. Which she strongly disliked. He was her best friend, for heck's sake! And the worst of all was that she really, really, _really_ wanted to see it again. She could deny it all she wanted, but she wanted to see, to touch, to feel him in a way that wasn't exactly how a friend should think about her friend.

Her gaze wandered over all the things in here, and suddenly stuck to the foot of a doll that had once belonged to Yuzu. _Doll. Body. Gigai!_

She jumped up and hit her head on the cupboard's ceiling. Grumbling and rubbing the aching spot, she nevertheless felt her heartbeat in her throat. In a flash, she jumped out of the cupboard and opened another door, the door to the one that they had once discovered held all their gigais when they weren't there. Rukia rummaged through the mess of bodies, shoving Hitsugaya-taichō's leg one way and Ayasegawa's arm the other, looking for that familiar flash of red that she'd grown to like so much. More than was good for her.

And finally, under the wide skirt that belonged to Matsumoto, she found what she was looking for. Swallowing hard, she warily eyed Renji's gigai as it was lying there, crumpled like a doll. A very, very sexy doll.

Rukia almost bashed her head against the wall at the thought. But then again, the sight of Renji in casual clothing like that was just too fine to look away. Why hadn't she ever noticed how that shirt clung to his muscled upper body like a second skin? Or the way his jeans were riding deliciously low on his hips? Why hadn't she?

Well, now she did, and it would be her downfall, that was for sure.

Slowly she reached out for him. She needed to touch him. She felt guilty as hell, like this was a violation of some sorts, but it was only a gigai, right? A non-living, non-breathing imitation of his body. He would never know, and she would finally find peace if she did this now, right?

Right.

Her fingers found the hem of his shirt. Her heart beat frantically, furiously, as she slowly lifted it and pushed upwards. The first thing she saw were the tattoos, inky black on his gorgeous skin. Then, the muscles, and she was very close to drooling as she placed one palm on the flat plane of his abs. She sighed involuntarily when she let her hand glide over smooth skin and hard muscle beneath, higher until she reached his pecs. Her fingertips explored his skin, and she could almost feel the heartbeat under her touches. She found one nipple and slid her hand over it, imagining doing that to him when conscious, but immediately shaking her head hard for her stupidity. He would never know, he wasn't supposed to know what _this_ did to her.

Sliding her hand lower again, she reached the waistband of his jeans. Funny, he almost looked like he was breathing. Her imagination had gone hyper now, just like in one of her daydreams, when she imagined him lifting her up and kissing her like there was no tomorrow, pressing his hard body against hers ...

Her fingers trembling now, she touched the button of his jeans. There was no question of undoing it or not, she needed to see him, feel him, to have the flame of this damn curiosity of hers smothered before it could become a wildfire. And she could talk to him again without blushing and running away.

The button popped open under her hands, and she reached for the zipper. Weird, it felt kinda hard beneath. Just as if ...

Her heart almost stopped for a second when a hand shot up and grabbed her by the wrist. She almost fell backwards but that hand held her in so strong a grip that she couldn't. Her gaze practically flew upwards, and the second she met his eyes, his _open_ eyes, her heart really stopped.

"Jeez, it's hella hard to play dead when you're doing all that," Renji said and smirked.

Rukia gasped, and her mouth opened and closed like a fish's, unable to say or do anything. She wanted to scream. This was her worst nightmare. How the hell had this only happened?!

Renji sat up now, his hand still firmly grabbing her wrist. "I knew you were acting weird ever since that. But had I known ..." He chuckled, and amusement was written all over his smug face.

With a jerk, she tried to undo his grip on her, frantically scrambling backwards. "No – no! This isn't ... this wasn't ... Why are you even here?" she practically shouted at him, her face a deep red and her heart beating so furiously that she was probably very close to a heart attack.

"You weren't coming back, and I figured it had something to do with, well, me, and so I wanted to come and see if you're well, and bring you back." He was holding her wrist in an iron grip. She couldn't get free at all. "And if you now say that this wasn't what it looked like, I'm gonna laugh."

She saw that familiar sparkling in his eyes, the one that promised mischief. And right now she really wanted the ground to open up and swallow her whole, and never come back. This wasn't even just embarrassment, this was hell. She wanted to die on the spot.

"B-but you ... and I thought ... if I, just once ... talk to you again ..." she stammered, unable to look away from him.

Renji was still smirking, and damn her, it looked sexy as hell. "I get it, I get it. But, you know, you could've just _asked_."

_Wha-?_

"What do you –" ... mean, she wanted to say, but that was the moment when he just pulled on her wrist, she fell forward, right into his arms, and then his lips were on hers and no words could get out anymore. His hand was in her hair, and the other had sneaked around her waist, holding her close, and oh his body felt exactly as it had in those dreams of hers. She moaned into his mouth, and as an answer Renji pulled her on top of him, into his lap so she was straddling him. And yes, the inside of his pants really felt too hard to be normal, and it made her so hot it drove her crazy. His tongue entered her mouth, and she moaned again, this felt so good, he was so sexy and he apparently _wanted_ her, and oh how she wanted him, and she was going to have her first time in Ichigo's cupboard.

Oh, and speaking of Ichigo.

"Well, it's all fine that you two're finally getting it on and all, but could you please do it _not_ in my closet?" Ichigo's exasperated voice resounded in the small space they were currently sharing, and they both froze on the spot.

And while Rukia could only stare at her friend standing in the closet door in horror, Renji just smirked. "Then let's continue this somewhere else," he whispered into her ear, and she melted.

Yes, yes, that sounded just fine.


End file.
